Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Controller
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-12-25
Hallacher, Craig A. (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Controller
C347S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332664
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image to a recording medium and having an optical type detecting means within this recording apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 6
is a perspective view showing the schematic construction of a conventional recording apparatus.
In
FIG. 6
, reference numeral
101
designates an ink tank of each color. Each ink tank is exchangeably mounted to a carriage
102
. A recording head (not shown) for recording or printing an image to a recording medium (not shown)is arranged in the carriage
102
. The image is recorded to the recording medium in accordance with a recording signal transmitted from an unillustrated substrate through an unillustrated flexible cable. Plural patterns showing information corresponding to a shifting amount of a printing position are printed to the recording medium by the recording head so as to relatively align the printing position at a first printing time to the recording medium with a printing position at a second printing time.
The recording apparatus shown in
FIG. 6
is a so-called serial type printer. The carriage
102
is guided and supported so as to freely reciprocate in the direction of an arrow A along a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in a chassis
108
. The carriage
102
is operated and controlled in position and movement by a driving mechanism such as a carriage motor (not shown), a motor pulley (not shown), a driven pulley
106
, a timing belt
107
, etc.
The recording medium such as a sheet of recording paper, etc. is fed by a paper feeder
110
until a nipping position of a conveying roller
111
and a pinch roller
113
within a body of the recording apparatus. The pinch roller
113
is held by a pinch roller holder
112
. The pinch roller holder
112
is held by a pinch roller holder attaching plate
109
fastened and fixed to the chassis
108
by vises, etc. The pinch roller
113
comes in press contact with the conveying roller
111
by a pressing member such as a spring, etc. The recording medium conveyed to the above nipping position is further conveyed by the conveying roller
111
rotated by a driving mechanism (not shown).
Reference numeral
130
designates an optical type sensor of a reflection type as an optical detecting means mounted to the carriage
102
. The optical type sensor
130
detects a printing pattern of the recording medium conveyed onto a platen
114
by scanning the carriage
102
in the direction of the arrow A. The optical type sensor
130
has a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion. Light emitted from the light emitting portion is reflected on a surface of the recording medium and the reflected light is detected by the light receiving portion.
A density of the pattern is detected by utilizing that intensity of the reflected light is changed in accordance with the density of the pattern printed on the recording medium.
However, in the prior art explained above, a problem exists in that external light enters the interior of the recording apparatus and no optical type sensor is normally operated in a certain case.
FIG. 7
is a cross-sectional view showing a conveying path of the recording medium in the conventional recording apparatus shown in FIG.
6
.
In
FIG. 7
, reference numeral
116
designates the recording medium and shows a state in which the recording medium
116
is conveyed by the paper feeder
110
. Reference numeral
115
designates a paper feed plate for guiding the recording medium
116
conveyed by the paper feeder
110
until the conveying roller
111
.
Since the recording medium
116
stacked in the paper feeder
110
is arranged outside the recording apparatus body, the recording medium
116
is exposed to external light
117
. Further, since the recording medium
116
is normally formed by a white color system, the external light
117
is well reflected on the recording medium
116
. Accordingly, as shown in
FIG. 7
, the external light
117
is guided into the recording apparatus by the recording medium
116
.
Further, since no member for pressing the recording medium
116
is arranged between the pinch roller holder
112
and the paper feed plate
115
, there is a case in which the recording medium
116
is floated upward as shown by a dotted line in FIG.
7
. In recent years, a high accuracy of about ±10 &mgr;m is also required in conveyance of the recording medium. However, when the recording medium is floated upward as mentioned above, a conveying position is correspondingly shifted so that conveying accuracy is reduced.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view showing a conveying path of the recording medium shown in FIG.
7
.
As shown in
FIG. 8
, plural pinch roller holders
112
are arranged in parallel with each other in a transversal one line in the conventional recording apparatus. However, since there is a clearance B between the respective pinch roller holders
112
, the external light
117
is leaked from this clearance B and further enters the platen
114
(see FIGS.
6
and
7
).
As mentioned above, the optical type sensor
130
detects the density of the pattern by intensity of the reflected light from the pattern printed on the reflected light from the pattern printed on the recording medium
116
conveyed onto the platen
114
. However, when the external light
117
further enters the recording medium
116
on the platen
114
, no reflected light of the optical type sensor
130
can be exactly detected by an influence of this external light
117
so that no density of the pattern can be exactly detected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus for performing a recording operation to a recording medium conveyed by conveying means by using recording means, and comprising optical detecting means for optically detecting desirable information and arranged within the recording apparatus; and light-shielding means for preventing light entering the interior of said recording apparatus from reaching said optical detecting means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus able to stably operate the optical detecting means since a fear of an error in operation of the optical detecting means caused by light entering the interior of the recording apparatus is restrained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5168291 (1992-12-01), Hiramatsu et al.
patent: 5975674 (1999-11-01), Beauchamp et al.
patent: 6172690 (2001-01-01), Angulo et al.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Hallacher Craig A.
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